>> a new poll stirring controversy over allowing beer and wine sales. >> this survey indicates 64% of voters like that idea. small business owners as saying enough already. david collins joins us live from the newsroom with more. >> at a closed-door meeting, national chain stores are pushing this idea as a convenience for consumers. many people we talked with agree. local beer and wine shops oppose. they are framing their argument around concerns of losing their business and employees losing their jobs. suppose near the mill for the soda while there is a section dedicated to beer and wine. >> it would be more convenient to be able to get everything at

one time. >> it might help people make a better choice of what -- if they're going to a grocery store, they might have made a bigger -- better choice for eating instead of just drinking. >> 64% of voters favored. 31% oppose, 5% offered no response. the same poll finds that women feel stronger than men. the baltimore suburbs followed by the eastern shore and southern maryland, their alliance -- they are more strongly in favor of it. >> they will stack displays up like this. it will not have to hire anybody. >> smaller businesses are opposed. >> we will lose our jobs. the smaller stores will go out of business, the cannot compete. >> locally owned liquor stores are already feeling pinched.

>> we are being pecked to death. it is the bottle tax. the liquor tax. 9%. now they want to do this. when is it going to stop? >> supporters disagree. a decade ago, d.c. change its practice. small retailers who sold beer and wine currently maintain their licenses. another poll by the center for alcohol policy fined 70% of those surveyed said state regulations are needed because out called is different from other consumer goods. 79% said alcohol is not just like a toilet paper or tinfoil. small-business owners are concerned that national chains will take over. >> that money, follow the money. big business. >> the mayland -- the maryland retailers association declined to comment. the national chain stores are

offering a so-called sweeteners. they will push for changes in the law to allow beer and wine shops to ship their products to consumers. >> maryland jobs and schools commissioned an economist to study the economic impact of expanded gambling. if questions 7 wynns, maryland wins. >> the goal here is to maximize economic impact. by maximizing the economic impact, the state benefits from fiscal and tax -- impact. from all other indications, [indiscernible] the state program has not been that effective. there will be between $1.10 billion and $1.50 billion of loss.

many people still go there out of habit. others are attracted to the table games and table games attract high rollers. >> nine people are dead and 91 others sick because of an outbreak of a rare fungal meningitis. >> mitt romney slammed a the president on foreign policy. reaction from the obama camp coming next. >> players talk about what they need to do to keep last night's disappointing when from -- loss from carrying over. >> the forecast is coming next. 52 at the airport. 56 near the inner harbor. >> live, local, late-breaking. this is wbal tv 11 news at 6:00

p.m. with rob daniels and donna hamilton, your insta-weatherplus forecast with chief meteorologist tom tasselmyer, sports, and skyteam 11 covering breaking news.

>> more people have been infected with a deadly fungal meningitis from contaminated steroid injections. five cases in maryland. the total number has soared to

105 of people second and the number of deaths is at 8. the tainted steroids were used in injection's given to back pain patients july through september. the massachusetts pharmacy has recalled all its products. health officials say 76 medical facilities in 23 states receive the contaminated injections. for complete list, you can go to our website, wbaltv.com and click on medical alert. new polls show the race for the white house is tightening more with republican presidential nominee mitt romney closing in on president obama's lead. >> he delivered a foreign policy speech in virginia today. sally kidd joins us in washington with that story. >> mitt romney delivered a blistering critique of the president was a foreign policy record and the obama campaign pushed back.

romney said the president has failed to lead on the world stage. >> it is our responsibility and the responsibility of the president to use america's greatest power to shape history. not to lead from behind. unfortunately, that is where we find ourselves in the middle east under president obama. >> america's ability to influence events for the better in iraq has been undermined by the abrupt withdrawal of our presence. >> the president has failed to lead in syria, he said. >> pilot extremists are flowing in. our ally turkey has been attacked. >> they responded to rahm a's speech in a conference call. >> is full of platitudes and

free of substance. >> behind the tough talk, he has been erratic, and steady, and irresponsible in his audition on the world stage. >> polls show he is gaining momentum. >> no one believes this is about foreign policy. this will be about the economy. mitt romney knows he has to pass a certain threshold and convince people he can be commander-in- chief. >> a new poll shows mitt romney closed in on the president's lead following last week's debate. the new research poll gives mitt romney a four point edge. >> foreign policy will be the focus of the final presidential debate on october 22. the next face-off between the present and mitt romney is next week in hempstead, new york. >> the rain is staying away so

far. we're surrounded by it but downtown baltimore remains dry. 54 degrees, 6 mile an hour wind coming out of the east and northeast. the rain will not be far away. the chances are pretty good that a shower will track through. this is headed northeast on -- it does not look like a rainout but the chance for showers will be there for least another couple of hours. in west virginia and parts of western maryland, some wet snow mixed in in the highest elevations. the first pitches after a p.m. this evening. the rain chances will be running at 50-50. that is improved. temperatures are cooler. will drop into the upper 40's to around 50.

it does not look like it is a washout. some wet weather to be worried about. a trace of precipitation so far at bwi marshall. 0.7 of an inch for the month. 15 degrees cooler than what is average. we can start to get freezing temperatures this time of year. it is kind of cool out there. the mountains as you can see where wet snow mixes with rain. the warnings are up for that possibility into wv and parts of western alleghany county. freeze warnings tonight.

we will stay in the 40's. the north wind at 5 to 10 miles per hour. there is an upper atmosphere and weather disturbance. in between the next weather system than the one that is coming through is some clearing skies. we will pull out of this cool and cloudy weather pattern after sprinkle in the morning. mostly cloudy. 55 to 60 tomorrow. there is a small craft advisory up until noon tomorrow. 50's again tomorrow. 70 wednesday. sprinkle in the afternoon. another front on friday. that gets out and opens up the door to a beautiful weekend in time for the running festival.

a high of 65. >> even after last night's game, derek jeter has played in most -- more postseason games that anyone on the roster. muchlayers do not have experience to draw on. pete gilbert joins us. the lack of october experience might be a good thing to move forward with. >> that has been the thought of it. it is all about tonight's game. i love what buck showalter said when asked if there were david vs. goliath. he said there are no cinderellas. this is who we are and we deserve to be here and we're good baseball team. they matched the yankees started to show. it did not go so well. we're taking a look at last night. we had that 2.5 hour rain delay.

hopefully we will avoid that situation tonight. a two rbi single gave them the lead. the orioles after a lead off stranded them in. five runs scored in the night. how will jim johnson respond? his teammates think just fine. >> his resume, where he has done. we feel confident in giving him the ball. his track record and his your proof. we like him on the amount and will continue to give him the ball. i am sure everyone here feels

the same way. >> he wants the ball again tonight against jim johnson. this is the postseason winningest pitcher. he has had three starts. they had a great early season. it does not ship of great. >> a lot like the weather tonight. you have to figure out a way to get through it. nominations for the artistic presentation of the ravens win. the fourth win is the kind of game you do not see all that often. the reagans have won the game without scoring a touchdown. ray rice ramped more than 100

yards. the second leading ground gainer. from the line of scrimmage in the nfl. they did not score a touchdown. the long recession of the day is part of a scoring drive. not just one that ended with an extra point. one that would end with a field goal. there are some positive take away from kansas city. the decision to keep him on the roster has won them three field goals. when was the last time that joe flacco scrambled and turned it into the biggest play of the game? no one wants this type of game to become a habit. after losing games like this on the road last year, the ravens feel better than the chiefs about the outcome, good enough for now. >> a couple of plays we can make here and there and play better, i think will be happy.

it is a win. you will have meetings like this from time to time and do have to be happy with getting the wind. it is of discussion -- difference between four in one and three in two. >> tom will tell you more with the seven-day forecast next. the seven-day forecast next.

so let me tell you what i know: if question seven passes, my company's going to... bring table games, like blackjack and poker... right here to baltimore. a twenty-five million dollar investment... that'll create five hundred new jobs. all right here. today, marylanders are spending $500 million gaming... in other states. let's keep it here. i'm chad barnhill, and we're ready to build right here. we're ready, and it's real. and all that has to happen... is question seven.

>> here's a look at what we're working on for 11 news tonight. we are live as fans bring out the rally caps. the house intelligence committee is warning against doing business with chinese tech

>> some rainshowers moving through tonight clearing up tomorrow afternoon. 70 wednesday and the weekend is looking nice. good weather for running on saturday. >> nbc